Department of Teaching & Learning

Karen Vickery

Program Director & Adjunct Lecturer



Ed.D., Texas A&M University at Commerce

Dr. Vickery has taught in the public schools of Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas for 35 years—teaching grades 2-6 in elementary school and reading to all levels. Dr. Vickery has been active in the field of dyslexia and related written-language disorders in the capacity of teacher, therapist, public school administrator, and University Program Director.

  • In 1982 she helped establish the Multisensory Learning Center at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenville and served as the Center Director until 2002.

  • Since 1995 she has served as the Dyslexia Coordinator for the Greenville Independent School District and as 504 Coordinator since 2001.

  • In 1999 she joined the staff of Southern Methodist University’s Learning Therapy Program as the Introductory Course Coordinator.

  • In 2001 she became the Director of the Learning Therapy Program at SMU, and she has been instrumental in the accreditation of the LT Program at both the teaching and therapist levels through IMSLEC.

  • In 2002 she played a key role is establishing Academic Enhancement Workshops for youth that are offered during the summer.

  • In 2004 she established the Diagnostic Center for Dyslexia and Related Disorders at the Learning Therapy Center.

  • She has served on all revisions of the Dyslexia Handbook Procedures for Dyslexia and Related Disorder for the state of Texas.

Dr. Vickery is a nationally respected dyslexia specialist; she currently teaches graduate-level courses at SMU through the Learning Therapist Graduate Certificate Program.

She has served on many task forces and committees for the Texas Education Agency and served as a resource for both public and private schools. She has been a guest speaker at parent and professional organizations at local, state, and national levels and conducted numerous in-service programs and teacher workshops since 1975. She received the 2002 Excellence in Education Award presented by the Dallas Branch International Dyslexia Association; Alumna of the Year 2001-2002 from Williams Baptist College, Walnut Ridge, Arkansas; and Key Communicator Award, Greenville Independent School District. In 2008, Dr. Vickery received an International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC) Innovator Award as an Outstanding Educator in a University at the annual meeting of the IMSLEC in Seattle. Click here to see the announcement. She was appointed by Governor Perry to the Dyslexia Interim Study Committee Dec. 2009.

Professional Memberships:

International Dyslexia Association

Member

Member of the Proposal Review Committee for 63rd Annual IDA Conference

Member of the Proposal Review Committee for 62nd Annual IDA Conference

Member of the Proposal Review Committee for 61th Annual IDA Conference

Member of the Proposal Review Committee for 60th Annual IDA Conference

Member of the Proposal Review Committee for 59th Annual IDA Conference

Dallas Branch of the International Dyslexia Association

Member

Advisory Board

Academic Language Therapy Association

Board member

Chairman of ALTA 20th Anniversary Celebration committee

Chairman of ALTA 20th Anniversary Celebration Distinguished Awards

Chairman of Qualified Instructor Certifying committee

Chairman of Instructor Level committee

Chairman of Members Standards

Chairman of ALTA’s Committee on IMSLEC-ALTA Relationship

Chairman of ALTA’s Nominating Committee

Chairman and Member of ALTA Awards committee

Academic Language Therapy Association Foundation

Chairman of Aylett Cox Scholarship Committee

Academic Language Therapy Centers Council member-Executive Board member         

Chairman of Ethics and Grievance committee

Alliance

President

Executive committee member

Treasurer

International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council 

President
Council member

Executive committee member

Vice President/President Elect

Treasurer

Chairman and member of College and University committee

Member of the nominating committee

Member of the Specific On-Site Evaluation Team

Liaison to ALTA

Dr. Vickery'’s degrees include an A.A. from Williams Baptist College, B.S.E. in Elementary Education from Arkansas State University, a M.Ed. in Reading from Arkansas State University, and an Ed.D. in Supervision, Curriculum, and Instruction with a comprehensive minor in Reading from Texas A & M (Commerce).  After receiving her doctorate, she continued her studies to become a Certified Academic Language Therapist as well as an Academic Language Therapist Qualified Instructor as certified by the Academic Language Therapy Association.  She is also a Licensed Dyslexia Therapist by the Texas Department of State Health Services.